Valve for automatic musical instruments



Dec. 13, 1927.

1 1,652,963 H. WALKER VALVE FOR AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed May29. 1926 gwets-sheet l /6 [1" II I /-55 OOOOOOOOOOOOGOO} I nventor HarryWaliier;

flttorney Dec. 13, 1927,

1,652,963 H. WALKER VALVE FOR AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS m Filed May29. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheei P as v Attorney Patented Dec. 13, 1927.

tlhllil fill STATES HARR'ZWVALKER GE OIL GITY, LOUISIANA, ASSIGNOR, BYDIRECT AND IiEESNE AS- FATE-hill SIGNIEENTS, T ATIONJ L MANUFACTURING-COMEANY OF AMERICA, 035 OIL CITY,- LUUISIANA, A CQRLEUlH-l I-T @FDEElAXVAREE VALVE'FOR AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Application filed May 29,

The presentinvention relates to a valve for automatic means forplayingmusical in strumentssuch, for instance, as organs.

The object of the invention resides in the provision of a valve whichisdurable, inexpensive to manufacture, positive. in its action, compactandconrenient, not likely to easily become out of order, exceedinglyefri cient and reliable in operation, and otherwise well adapt-ed to thepurpose for which it is designed.

With the above and numerous other objects in view as will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in certain novel features ofconstruction, and in the combination and arrangement of parts as will behereinafter more fully described and claimed.

' In the drawing Figural is an elevation oi an assembly showing themanner in which one valves is used,

Fig. 2 is a sectional ,view taken ,substain tially on the line 2=-2 ofFig. 1, looking downwardly,

F 3 is acsection taken substantially on theline .33 of Fig. 1,

Fig. i is av section taken substantially on the line H of Fig.3,

Fi 5 is a section taken.substantially,on the: line5-5 of Fig. .3,

Fig. (l is a section taken substantially on the line .6-6 of Fig. 3, I

Fig. is a plan viewv of one of the valves shown attacheddirectly to abellows,.and

Fig. .8 is a sectional elevation of another assembly showing afurther.use of the valve.

Referring to the drawingin detaihit will be seen that the casing ofthevalve is formed in two parts preferably constructed of wood, thelarger part being in the form of a block 5 which has acvertical boreti'extcnding .cen-

of my trally.therethrough, the lower portion of which is counterbored tobe larger as at 7 and thelower-portion of the counter bore 7 isfurtherenlarged as 18 indicated at 8. A

passage 9 extends transversely. thru one end,

of the block 5 and at its intermediate portion communicates with adepending pas,-:

sage 10, .the lower end of which is offset in-' wardly in the form of achannel, as is indicated ll, communicating with the counter-bore 8. .Apassage 12 extendsv from one.v

side of the block inwardlythe innerflend cap 6.

1926; Serial N0..112,717.

thereofgbeingfcurved downwardly to com- Fig? 5, opens thru the otherside of the block,

that isthesame side through which thepas sage 12 opens; A cap 16completes the valve casing, being constructed with the recess 17 andcentralopening 18 communicating with said recess, and registering withthe bore 6. This cap 16 is glued onto the top of the block 5; A flexiblediaphragm 20 in the form of a disk has its peripheral edge secured inthe top of the bore 8 to separate the bores 2" and 8. A non flexible orrather substantiallynon-flexible dish: 21 is centrally located on theupper surface of the diaphragm 20 and. is, secured thereto by glue or inany other suitable manner.

A squared shank 22 is movable through the bore 6 and fhas its upper endattached to a. strip of flexible material 23 preferably sheepskin, onthe upper surface of which is fixed a substantially non-flexible disk 2lhaving a disk 25 glued to the upper surface thereof, said disk 25 beingpreferably sheep skin. These disks 2 and 25 are (Jo-axially alined with.opening. 18 and bore 6. The

endsof the sheep skin strip 23 are fixed by glue as at 27 between theblock 5 and the The under surface of the cap iscut away as at 28 forallowing proper flexing of the sheepskin strip 23.

A sheet of paper 29 or any other suitable material is pasted over thebottom surface of the block A similar sheet of paper or the like 30 ispasted on the side of the block and the extends, opening cap throughwhich the passage 12 this passage 12 registering with an 31 provided inthe sheet 30 and an opening 32 provided in the vacuum board or chest 33.This paper is glued or pasted to the chest 33 and thus the valve issupported thereon.

The tube 8% leading the bellows coinmunicates with the'opening 13. Theside. of the block on which is pasted the sheet 30 is provided with aiannel communicating 00 the adjacent end of the passage 9 with the 5 12as is clearly shown in dotted line A reducer 37 is mounted in the-mimicatewiththe counter-bore 7. A pas-V tit) passage 9 adjacent thechannel 36 and has a small opening 38 therein. The tracker bar tube 39leading from tracker bar 40 communicates with the other end of thepassage 9.

\Vhen the pump of the organ or the like is started in operation so as tocreate a vacuum in the chest in the well known manner, and the trackerbar 40 is uncovered, the valve will take the position shown in thedrawing, since the suction through the passage 12 will raise thediaphragm so as to close the disk over the opening 18, and this suctionwill continue through the bore 6, recess 17, and passage'13, to causethe collapsing of the bellows 35. hen a record is placed over thetracker bar so as to cover the openings thereo't, it will be seen thatthe suction through. the passage 12 will be transmitted through thepassage 36, through the opening 88, through the passage 9, through thepas' it), through the branch 11, for creating); a vacuum in the bore 8,thereby pulling dmvnwardly on the diaphragm 20, so that the strip 9 willclose .2. the upper end out the bore (5, and thus air will rush inthrough the opening 18, into the recess 17, through the passage 13,through tube 34;, and into the bellows 35, so that said bellows mayexpand.

\Vhenever an (meningin the record sheet comes over the correspomlingopening in the tracker 4:0, it will be seen that the valve will operateto the position shown in the drawing for the purpose oi causing thecollapsing of the bellows.

In Fig. 7, I have shown the bellows 35 attached directly to the valveand in this instance, the open end of the passage 13 will be closed andan additional passage 1-5-1. will be formed communicating with thepassage 14, said passage 14; communicating directly with the bellows.Otherwise this embodiment operates identical with that shown anddescribed.

In Fig. 8, another embodiment has been shown, wherein the bellows tube34 comim'inicates with the outer end of the passage l t through anopening provided in the sheet and extends through the interior of thechest 33 and comn'iunicates with a bellows 35" which is mounted on theother side of the chest. The open end 01" the passage 13, of course, inthis instance, will be also closed.

The present embodiments of the invention have been disclosed merely byway of example since in actual practice they attain the features ofadvantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention andthe above dcscrii'ition. lit is to be understood that the invention notlimited to the specific details of construction, organization.

and mode of. operation herein described for urposes of illustration. Onthe contrary,

n the invention may be variously modified within the scope oi thesub-joined claims, as will. appear to those skilled in the art.

".lhe important feature of this invention is in the sheep skin strip 23which forms a valve and a guide that positively prevents incorrectfeeding in respect to the bore 6 and the opening 18. No matter whatposition these parts may get into when this valve is in operation. theseparts must seat correctly because oi the flexible strip The common valvs no w in use do not provide a strip of this nature, because of wear theleast jarrin of the valve sometimes turns the sai'ne so tdiat it will nolonger seat correctly. This in'iproved l'eature overcomes thisditliculty entirely, because no jarring affects the eili cient operationthereof. In the valves now in common use, warping takes place whichinterferes with the etliciency thereof. No warping can take place in myvalve which will intcr't'ere with the proper seating thereoi, because ofthe sheep skin strips reinforced at the seaying portion thereof with thesubstantially non-flexible or hard disk 24 having the sheep skin disksthereon which engiges with the inner surface of the cap for closing theopening 18.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:-

l. A valve structure of the class described cou'iprising a block havinga bore forn'ied of an upper portion, an intermediate portion of largerdiameter than the upper portion, and a lower portion 01 larger diameterthan the intermediate portion, said block being provided with a passageadapted to be in communication with a vacuum source and entering thebore, said blocks being provided with a second passage disposedtransversely of one end thereof and a third passage leading downwardlyfrom the second passage through the bottom face of the block, saidbottom face being provided with a channel communicating with the thirdpassage and the lower portion of the bore, a sheet fixed on the bottomface and closing the lower end 01 the lower portion of the bore, aflexible diaphragm fixed at its edge in the upper end of the lowerportion of the bore to close off the lower portion from the intermediateportion of the bore, a shank movable thru the upper portion of the bore,a strip of flexible material having its ends fixed to the surface of theblock and extending across the upper end of the upper portion of thebore, a disk on the strip, a cap having an opening registering with thebore and provided with a recess, said disk adapted to close the opening,the upper end of the shank being fixed to the strip, said block beingprovided with a fourth passage leading from the recess and adapted to bein communication with a bellows, one side of the block being providedwith a channel entering the first passage, and one end of the secondpassage, a reducer in llO larger diameter than the upper portion and alower portion of larger diameter than the in termediate portion, saidb'lock being provided with a passage adapted to be in con nection with avacuum source entering the bore, said block being provided with a secondpassage transversely of one end thereof and a third passage leadingdownwardly from the second passage through the bottom face of the block,said bottom face being provided with a channel communicating with thethird passage and the lower portion of the bore, a sheet fixed on thebottom face and closing the lower end of the lower'portion of the bore,a flexible diaphragm fined at its edge in the upper end of the lowerportion of the bore to ch off the lower portion from the intermediateportion of the bore, a disk on the upper surface of the central portionof said flexible diaphragm, a

shank movable through the upper portion a of the bore and having itslower end resting on said disk, a strip of flexible material having itsends fixed to the upper surface of the blocl: and extending across theupper surface of the upper portion of the bore, a dish on the strip, acap having an opening registering with the bore and provided with arecess, said last mentioned dish adapted to close the opening, the upperend of the shank being fixed to the strip, said block being providedwith a fourth passage leading from the recess and adapted to be incommunication with a bellows, one side of the block being provided witha channel entering the first passage and one end of the second passage,a sheet over said side of the block having an opening registering withthe first passage, and reducer in said end of the second pas sage, theother end of said second passage being adapted to communicate with atracker bar.

3. A valve structure of the class described including block having abore, a portion which is counter-sunk to be of larger diameter, saidcounter-sunk portion being at one face of the block, a cap having arecess in one surface, and an opening entering the recess from theopposite surface, said cap being fixed to the opposite face of the blockfrom that heretofore nientioned with the re cess and opening in registrywith the bore, the recess (lirmtly communicating with the bore at theend of the bore opposite to the counter-sunk portion thereof, a primarypneumatic in the countersunk portion of the bore, a valve in the recess,means extending through the bore connecting the pneumatic and the valve,said valve comprising a strip of flexible material having its endsanchored between the cap and the block, a disc on the center of saidflexible strip, adapted to close the opening in the cap.

in testimony whereof I aliix my signature.

HARRY "WALKER

